Dogs bark, cats meow, birds chirp, turtles…do something. The world is filled with animal noises, so it only makes sense that languages are filled with words to describe those noises. French and English have a few similarities in their terms, but some seem very different. Some of them are onomatopoeia while others are not, but they’re all entertaining. Here’s our guide to French animal sounds, along with a collection of French animal names for good measure.
Animal Sounds You’ll Hear In French
| English Name | French Name | English Animal Sound | French Animal Sound |
| Bat | Chauve-souris | Screech The bat screeches |
Grincement La chauve-souris grince |
| Bear | Ours | Growl The bear growls |
Grognement L’ours grogne |
| Bee | Abeille | Hum The bee hums |
Bourdonnement L’abeille bourdonne |
| Blackbird | Merle | Whistle The blackbird whistles |
Babillage Le merle babille |
| Bull | Taureau | Bellow The bull bellows |
Mugissement Le taureau mugit |
| Camel | Chameau | Grunt The camel grunts |
Blatèrement Le chameau blatère |
| Cat | Chat | Mew The cat mews |
Miaulement Le chat miaule |
| Chickadee | Mésange | No English term | Zinzulement La mésange zinzinule |
| Cicada | Cigale | Sing The cicad sings |
Chant La cigale chante |
| Cow | Vache | Moo The cow moos |
Meuglement La vache meugle |
| Cricket | Criquet | Chirp The cricket chirps |
Stridulation Le criquet stridule |
| Crocodile | Crocodile | Bellow The alligator bellows |
Lamentation Le crocodile lamente |
| Crow | Corneille | Caw The crow caws |
Craillement La corneille craille |
| Deer | Cerf | Bell The deer bells |
Brame Le cerf brame |
| Donkey | Âne | Bray The donkey brays |
Braiment L’âne brait |
| Doe | Biche | Bell The doe bells |
Brame La biche brame |
| Dog | Chien | Bark The dog barks |
Aboiement Le chien aboie |
| Dolphin | Dauphin | Click The dolphin clicks |
Cliquetis Le dauphin cliquette |
| Duck | Canard | Quack The duck quacks |
Cancan Le canard cancane |
| Eagle | Aigle | Scream The eagle screams |
Glatissement L’aigle glatit |
| Elephant | Éléphant | Trumpet The elephant trumpets |
Barrissement L’éléphant barrit |
| Ewe | Brebis | Bleat The ewe bleats |
Bêlement La brebis bêle |
| Finch | Pinson | Chirp The finch chirps |
Ramage Le pinson ramage |
| Fox | Renard | Yelp The fox yelps |
Glapissement Le renard glapit |
| Goat | Chèvre | Bleat The goat bleats |
Bêlement La chèvre bêle |
| Goose | Oie | Honk The goose honks |
Cacardement L’oie cacarde |
| Grasshopper | Sauterelle | Chirp The grasshopper chirps |
Stridulation La sauterelle stridule |
| Groundhog | Marmotte | Whistle The groundhog whistles |
Sifflement La marmotte siffle |
| Hare | Lièvre | Squeak The hare squeaks |
Vagissement Le lièvre vagit |
| Hen | Poule | Cackle The hen cackles |
Caquetage La poule caquette |
| Hippopotamus | Hippopotame | Growl The hippopotamus growls |
Grognement L’hippopotame grogne |
| Horse | Cheval | Neigh The horse neighs |
Hennissement Le cheval hennit |
| Hyena | Hyène | Laugh The hyena laughs |
Ricanement La hyène ricane |
| Jay | Geai | Chatter The jay chatters |
Jasement Le geai jase |
| Kangaroo | Kangourou | Chortle The kangaroo chortles |
Toux Le kangourou tousse |
| Lark | Alouette | Warble The lark warbles |
Grisollement L’alouette grisolle |
| Lion | Lion | Roar The lion roars |
Rugissement Le lion rugit |
| Llama | Lama | Hum The llama hums |
Hennissement Le lama hennit |
| Magpie | Pie | Chatter The magpie chatters |
Jacassement La pie jacasse |
| Monkey | Singe | Scream The monkey screams |
Cri Le singe crie |
| Mouse | Souris | Squeak The mouse squeaks |
Chicotement La souris chicote |
| Nightingale | Rossignol | Sing The nightingale sings |
Gringottement Le rossignol gringotte |
| Otter | Otarie | Hiss The otter hisses |
Bêlement L’otarie bêle |
| Female Owl | Chouette | Hoot The owl hoots |
Chuintement La chouette chuinte |
| Male Owl | Hibou | Hoot The owl hoots |
Hululement Le hibou hulule |
| Ox | Bœuf | Bellow The ox bellows |
Beuglement Le bœuf beugle |
| Panther | Panthère | Roar The panther roars |
Feulement La panthère feule |
| Partridge | Perdrix | No English term | Cacabement La perdrix cacabe |
| Peacock | Paon | Scream The peacock screams |
Criaillement Le paon criaille |
| Pheasant | Faisan | Call The pheasant calls |
Criaillement Le faisan criaille |
| Pig | Cochon | Oink The pig oinks |
Grognement Le cochon grogne |
| Pigeon | Pigeon | Coo The pigeon coos |
Roucoulement Le pigeon roucoule |
| Rabbit | Lapin | Squeak The rabbit squeaks |
Clapissement Le lapin clapit |
| Ram | Bélier | Bleat The ram bleats |
Blatèrement Le bélier blatère |
| Rat | Rat | Squeak The rat squeaks |
Chicotement Le rat chicote |
| Raven | Corbeau | Caw The raven caws |
Croassement Le corbeau croasse |
| Roe deer | Chevreuil | Bark The roe deer barks |
Raire Le chevreuil rait |
| Rooster | Coq | Crow The rooster crows |
Chant Le coq chante |
| Sheep | Mouton | Bleat The sheep bleats |
Bêlement Le mouton bêle |
| Snake | Serpent | Rattle The snake rattles |
Sifflement Le serpent siffle |
| Sparrow | Moineau | Chirp The sparrow chirps |
Pépiement Le moineau pépie |
| Sparrowhawk | Épervier | No English term | Piaulement L’épervie piaule |
| Stork | Cigogne | No English term | Craquètement La cigogne craquette |
| Swallow | Hirondelle | Twitter The swallow tweets |
Gazouillement L’hirondelle gazouille |
| Swan | Cygne | Cry The swan cries |
Drensement Le cygne drense |
| Tiger | Tigre | Growl The tiger growls |
Feulement Le tigre feule |
| Toad | Crapaud | Croak The toad croaks |
Coassement Le crapaud coasse |
| Turkey | Dinde | Gobble The turkey gobbles |
Glougloutement La dinde glougloute |
| Turtle dove | Tourterelle | No English term | Gémissement La tourterelle gémit |
| Wasp | Guêpe | Buzz The wasp buzzes |
Vrombissement La guêpe vrombit |
| Whale | Baleine | Sing The whale sings |
Chant La baleine chante |
| Wolf | Loup | Howl The wolf howls |
Hurlement Le loup hurle |
| Zebra | Zèbre | Neigh The zebra neighs |
Hennissement Le zèbre hennit |
This article originally appeared in the French edition of Babbel Magazine.